2011 Calladega 500: 40 years since The Year Of The King
In this bonus event. Racers remember the 40th anniversary of the "Year Of The King" aka the epic 1971 Piston Cup Season. The King himself, as well as several other racers who were there that year including many rookies, talk to Kori about the epic season. Transcript Racers talk about Year Of The King! Kori: Guys can you believe it has been 40 years since the legendary YEAR OF THE KING!!!! I have several racers who I will interview that are there to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the epic 1971 season. Kraig: I remember everything. People were saying The King would never be as good as Lee Weathers. But he proved so many racers wrong by DESTROYING 1971 by winning 22 races! 1971 is one season I will never forget EVER!!!! Martin Power: He jumped off me in Calladega and smashed the record 10 (Popeye toot) Times it was unbelievable historic that season. So unforgettable! Mario: Nobody could stop him. I tried, Kraig tried but when The King was ready to win a race he wins it! Alloy: I have raced in the Piston Cup for a lot of years but I think my rookie year in 1971 is the one I will remember the most. A lot of rookies were debuting that year like me and Cole and Johnathan and we see The King just winning so many (Dolphin Censor) races! We were so shocked! Bill Shields: Yes! Totally historic year for me as a rookie! Thomas Tireson: there was nothing I could do. I lost by the Boston 350 because THAT is how many races The King won. David Palmer: Just unbelievable. Joe Carbureski: I was Ronald Oaks backup racer and I raced in 1971 at the Southern 350 because Ronald was sick and I saw how well The King did. It was just unbelievable. KorI: WOW! Moving onto TEAM DINOCO THEMSELVES!!!! Roger: THE BEST (Popeye toot) YEAR OF MY (Triggered) LIFE!!!! IT WAS SO GOOD NO YEAR AFTER THAT WAS BETTER FOR ME ROGER WHEELER!!!!! Luke: YEAH!!!!!!!! IT WAS TOO GOOD!!!!! THE YEAR OF THE KING IS THE BEST YEAR TO EVER HAPPEN ON EARTH!!!!! ALTHOUGH 1969 IS A CLOSE SECOND CAUSE CARS FINALLY WENT ON THE MOON!!!!!!!!!! BUT 1971 RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kori: AND NOW THE LEGEND!!!!! STRIP THE KING WEATHERS!!! The King: I remember correctly cars were saying I would not be as good as my dad. 1971 changed everything. I won the first race of the season and just starting winning and winning. Thomas Tireson was behind me by 200 plus points and I had already won by the Boston 350 as he said. I have had many wins over many years but even I say that 1971 was a crazy season and the best that Team Dinoco ever had. Kori: WOW!!!! The King: I still visit the Dinoco team members who were there that year. Roger and Luke obviously but some others too. Die casts of me suddenly started to become extremely popular and everybody was getting them after 1971 and they started calling me The King. Even Lynda was so shocked about my performance in 1971 that she still remembers all the 22 races that I won. Kori: So cool. The King: It was. I know you were born in 1974 so you were not born when all this happened. But it was crazy that even some of the youngest fans of the Piston Cup that time remember it. Kori: Thanks for this great great legendary interview! (End of Transcript)